Bill > A08424

This bill transfers various responsibilities from the Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled to the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs, a state agency designed to protect vulnerable populations. Specifically, the bill reassigns functions related to surrogate decision-making committees, which help make medical treatment decisions for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities who cannot make decisions for themselves. Under the new law, the Justice Center will now be responsible for appointing committee members, designating committee chairs, and providing training and oversight. The bill also updates numerous references in existing laws to replace mentions of the former commission with the Justice Center, ensuring that its role in protecting and advocating for people with disabilities is clearly defined. Additionally, the bill makes technical corrections to various other sections of law related to healthcare, social services, and disability services, such as updating language to use gender-neutral terms like "their" instead of "his or her" and making minor administrative changes across different state agencies.

Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A8424